


What Clouds The Mind

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-04-08 09:25:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19104307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: He was going to destroy Tim Drake one day, he thought.





	What Clouds The Mind

**Author's Note:**

> Slight references to Batman&Son, Resurrection of Ra’s al Ghul and some Red Robin storyline that I THINK happened. Like mentioned, they aren’t the best of friends but still pretty okay. The Hit List arc never happens. Dick wanted them to be closer, like he was with both of them, that’s why he’s all smiley at the end. Tim doesn’t let anyone untie Damian until he can coddle him for like ever. Dick takes lots of pictures. Tim becomes extra protective of Damian after this, Damian a little mellower. Dick is a happy big brother. 
> 
> For @lil-nest! Thank you so so much for donating! Their reward request was an alternative first meeting between Dami and Tim where Dami decides it will be profitable to gain Tim’s trust (better to defeat him later) and then accidentally befriends him.

_“Umm…‘Here on my world, we call this gesture a handshake…’”_

Damian bit his tongue, pressed his lips together as tight as he could. He hated him already, this one called Robin. He was a buffoon, an imbecile. How dare he mock an al Ghul. How dare he _patronize_ him like this.

Damian should kill him. He’s killed for less. He was expected to kill for less.

…But.

His grandfather spoke highly of this Tim Drake. Clearly, his father respected him, if they were partners. If he trusted this… _child_ with his life.

There was something about Timothy Drake. There _had_ to be, for the Demon’s Head and Batman to be so… _enamored_.

And if he killed Robin now, he’d never find out what that something was.

He stared at the proffered hand, pursed his lips a little bit. Drake kept that condescending smirk on his face, watching Damian just as carefully.

…Defeat would have to come later. Damian _had_ to know what made this lanky teenager so special in the first place, before he destroyed him.

So he returned the grin with a bitter one of his own, and shook Tim Drake’s hand.

~~

This…this wasn’t…

What _was_ this?

He and Grayson had gotten word that Ra’s was in town. It was a little odd, but not unexpected. Damian had defected after all, so he was probably here to kill him, teach him a lesson, or drag him kicking and screaming back into the League.

It appeared to be Grayson’s first thought as well, for as soon as he signed off with Oracle, Batman turned to him and made him swear to never leave his side. Made the ridiculous and overly sentimental oath that he wouldn’t let Ra’s or Talia or anyone hurt Damian ever again. That no one was taking Robin from Batman; over his dead body.

Damian had scoffed at that.

But then Oracle came crackling back over the line with more information. That through maps and trajectories and other obvious indicators – it was clear that Ra’s al Ghul’s target was the Red Robin.

And instantly, Damian’s stomach has sunk.

But why? Why was he suddenly feeling dread and concern and… _fear_? More fear than he’d ever felt for himself, or even Grayson or his father?

Was it because he thought Ra’s wanted Red Robin to work with him in his crusade? Was it because there was the chance that Ra’s really was here to take Damian down, and that Drake could – or would – sell him out immediately? Or was it because his grandfather was going to kill Drake before he got the chance to?

And maybe that was the dread – because Damian knew it was none of those things.

It was because he didn’t want Drake to die. He didn’t want his grandfather to kill him. He didn’t want anyone to kill him.

And for the first time he realized – not even himself.

But…this didn’t make sense? Sure, he and Drake were cordial. Got along well enough, with only a little amount of tension over the Robin mantle. Enjoyed silence over tea or research. Could stand being in the same room.

But Damian was only doing this to learn about his predecessor. Only to learn his weaknesses and gain his trust, so it was that much sweeter when he delivered that final blow.

…Right?

Because it’s not like they were truly _friends_. It’s not like they were actually family. Actually brothers, despite all of Grayson’s flowery words and wistful thoughts.

…

… _Right_??

As Oracle continued to explain locations and evidence and even motives, Damian tuned her out, more focused on the churning of his stomach, the speed of his heart, the want to pray to any god he knew of to _stop this now before it’s too late_.

Grayson said something, he didn’t hear what, and Damian found himself agreeing to the begged request of _‘please stay here no matter what you hear or see, and get the med bay ready for Tim.’_ Watched absently as Grayson ran as fast as he could to save his brother from certain doom.

…Their brother?

The machines beeped around him, the chatter on the open comm. line a low buzz. Damian just stared at the tunnel Grayson had just sped their Batmobile through.

…

…

……

…Right?

~~

Damian was livid. Damian was…petrified.

This isn’t what he wanted. This isn’t what he _ever_ wanted.

Ra’s had tried this before, tried to get to Damian and Tim, pit them against each other, make Batman choose who he loved more, who he’d sacrifice to be the next vessel for the Demon’s Head.

But he didn’t get this far last time. Batman – Bruce – had made sure of that. And his mother was there to protect him, leaving Grayson and his father to protect Tim. So it was all fine. Everyone lived and went home. Ra’s was made a fool and went into hiding. The end.

But this time.

This time Bruce Wayne was dead. This time Talia al Ghul had disowned him and disappeared. This time Ra’s thought ahead, and took out Grayson and Brown and anyone who might save them first, before coming for them.

So now here they were, each tied up like animals for slaughter, dumped next to each other on the floor like trash, while Ra’s loomed over them, thinking out loud while he made his decision.

One would become his new vessel. The other would die. Probably. He was still deciding that.

And for all Damian’s own personal turmoil, Drake looked poised and prepared. There was no fear in his face, or weakness in his already beaten body. He just stared at Ra’s in near boredom.

Damian was almost jealous of that. Jealous of the time he _could_ do that, and would. Was silently cursing Grayson for taking him in and undoing all his training, unleashing his emotions and allowing him to _feel_ them.

But Damian was distracted in his regret. Was distracted staring at Drake, and drowning in how much better the older was than him. Reveling in the realization that…maybe he didn’t hate him as much as he told himself upon that first meeting. Lamenting that he didn’t want to destroy Red Robin, didn’t want to kill him at all. He just wanted to go home. Wanted to go home and be with his family. His brothers.

So he was confused when the color suddenly drained from Drake’s face. When Drake’s eyes widened and he looked over at Damian in terror.

“…Yes.” Ra’s hummed. Damian blinked and looked up at him. “I think I choose Timothy.”

Drake gaped, shaking his head. “Ra’s.” He tried. “Ra’s, come on. You…you can’t. He’s your grandson, you’re not going to…”

Ra’s snapped, and called to the guards at the doors. “Please bring me my sword.”

“Sword…” Tim gasped, wriggling in his bonds now. “What…what do you need that for…?”

“If he’s not going to be my vessel then I have no use for him.” Ra’s shrugged. “And things you have no use for, you dispose of.”

Drake was full-on thrashing now. Trying to squirm over to Damian, though what he was going to do when he got there, Damian didn’t know.

He still wasn’t fully focused himself, though. Because his heart was sad now. Not for himself, but for Drake. Because, honestly, he’d rather death than being his grandfather’s vessel. It was a painful process, an immortal torture. Drake would be alive, physically. But mentally, spiritually, he’d have no control. Would be in a cage in his mind, a dark lonely void, screaming forever.

In truth, Damian was the winner of this. Death was easy.

He wouldn’t wish being a vessel on his worst enemy. And Drake was not his worst enemy. Drake was his…

The sword arrived, presented to Ra’s like it was sacred. Drake was shouting now. Pleading. _He’s only a kid,_ he cried, _I can’t let you do this_.

Damian only glanced up as Ra’s raised the sword.

“A suggestion?” Damian asked quietly, before the blade came crashing down along his throat. Ra’s paused in position for a moment, then lowered the weapon.

“As a last request, I’ll grant you that.” Ra’s agreed.

“Make me your vessel. I will go freely.” Damian offered. “And in exchange, you let Red Robin live, and return to Gotham.”

In the corner of his eye, he saw Drake’s jaw drop. Even Ra’s had the decency to look mildly surprised.

“…I know what being your vessel entails. I know what the process is. It is painful, bloody, dark and everlasting.” Damian pushed. “…And I will not let you hurt him.”

Drake was silently shaking his head again. There were tears in his eyes. Damian didn’t quite understand why.

Ra’s frowned. “The circus boy has done quite a number on you, hasn’t he?”

Damian shrugged.

Ra’s looked at Tim, who seemed to be still in shock. But he looked up at Ra’s. “Don’t.”

“Honestly, Detective, I don’t wish to.” Ra’s admitted. “After all, you are stronger, wiser and older. Much better of a use to me than this scrawny child.” He looked back to Damian. “But he is my grandson. And even if I wasn’t considering his offer – this _is_ what he was bred for.”

“No. _No_.” Tim shouted, kicking his bound feet again. “I can’t- I won’t-” He looked at Damian angrily. “What the hell is wrong with you?!”

Damian didn’t answer, because that was a question he’d been asking himself for years.

“Consider, Grandfather.” Damian continued. “If you let Drake live, there is still the chance he will join you as an advisor. Isn’t that something you’ve always wanted?”

“Perhaps.” Ra’s agreed.

“And two bodies are always better than one.” Damian explained. “Then you’d have me as your vessel, and Drake as your right-hand man – the most successful scenario.”

“Though unlikely.” Ra’s looked at Tim once more.

“But not impossible.” Damian glanced at Tim too. Not his face, but at the wounds Ra’s had already inflicted, ignoring the pain of his identical ones. “Give him a few years, Grandfather. He’ll come around.”

“Oh I’m sure.” Ra’s hummed. There was silence for a minute. Then a loud sniff, and Ra’s shifted his sword to the other hand. “Alright, Damian. I’ll take your suggestion.”

“No.” Tim screamed. “No, no, no, no-”

Suddenly - shouts from the hallway. Thumps, cracks…gun shots?

Then the room’s door was kicked in – literally – to reveal a hobbling, bloody, injured, yet fiercely determined, Batman, flanked by one Black Bat and Red Hood.

“Mine.” Grayson hissed, limping forward. “How fucking dare you take _my_ -”

“Shut up, Dick.” Jason growled from behind his helmet, stepping forward and shooting in the Demon’s Head’s direction.

As Ra’s blocked the shots with his sword, or ducked out of the way, more assassins entered the room, and an instant war erupted. Cassandra jumped into action, Jason kept shooting, and Dick fought as he slowly made his way towards them.

“Get me first, Dick!” Tim yelled over the noise. Dick seemed to nod, shifting a little to head his direction. And as he crouched and pulled a knife to cut Tim’s ropes, Tim glared over at Damian, “And do _not_ get Damian’s.”

“What…?” Dick mumbled, glancing over. “Tim, he’s…”

“I’ll get him out, don’t worry.” Tim promised. “I’m just pretty sure if you untie him, he’ll continue to be an idiot and go sacrifice himself for me again anyway.”

Dick looked between them for a moment, in absolute confusion, then shook his head, the hints of a knowing smile flashing on his bruised face. “Well, we can’t have that.”

“Hey, that’s-” But by the time Damian got that far, Tim was free and lunging at him.

“The ship is waiting outside.” Dick explained, as Tim scooped Damian up in his arms. “We’re not here to defeat Ra’s right now. I can barely move and our numbers are too small. But as soon as I know you and Damian are safe, Bat, Hood and I are right behind you.”

“I’ll give you four minutes and then I’m coming back.” Tim snapped, but turned to obey Dick’s orders anyway. They exited the fray to the sound of Dick laughing.

As soon as they were out of the building, and the waiting jet was in sight, Tim huffed. “What the _hell_ was that back there?”

Damian, who wanted to squirm and pout and be as indignant as possible, but knew he couldn’t, not still bound as he was, just shrugged. “I just wanted my brother to get home safe.”

Tim didn’t respond to that. But when they reached the ship, and Damian felt a small kiss pressed against the side of his head, he didn’t say anything either. Just settled into the comfort of his brother’s arms.


End file.
